Oregon Youth Study

Based on Research Conducted at OSLC

A longitudinal study of the etiology of antisocial behaviors in boys.

Project Overview

The original goal of this longitudinal study, begun in 1983, was to examine the etiology of antisocial behaviors in boys, with a view to designing preventive interventions within the context of the family and the school. The entire fourth grade of boys and their parents from randomly selected lower-income neighborhoods in the Eugene/Springfield area were invited to participate. The sample consisted of two cohorts, 1 year apart, who were 9-10 years of age at the start of the study and were assessed yearly. The sample size was 206 initially, and the sample size was about 192 at age 35 years. The Oregon Youth Study proved to be a goldmine of data, with the yearly assessments and comprehensive assessment design providing the opportunity for addressing a broad range of mental health and developmental questions for adolescent and early adult men.

Year Project Began: 1983Funder: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Active Research Projects

Primary Research and Clinical Interests

Primary research interests include: individual, social and contextual influences on the development of psychopathology and substance use from childhood through adulthood, particularly intergenerational influences on risk and substance use; life-span antisocial and associated behaviors, including early childhood risk, child and adolescent development, delinquent and criminal behavior, health-risking sexual behavior, use of alcohol and other substances, violence, depression, and fatherhood; and adjustment of couples, including interaction patterns and aggression, stress, and effects of relationship factors on health. Additional interests include longitudinal developmental modeling and study design, and observational assessment techniques.

Our Mission

We are a collaborative, multidisciplinary center dedicated to increasing the scientific understanding of social and psychological processes related to healthy development and family functioning. We apply that understanding to the design and evaluation of interventions that strengthen children, adolescents, families, and communities.